East End Park hosted its first ever live televised match as Dunfermline took on Wim Jansen’s Celts. They relied on their foreigners to get the goals that knocked the Pars out of the Cup.

It was a spirited performance from the Fifers though they were outplayed for periods of the game and virtually surrendered midfield to the visitors. Celtic started strongly and forced Dunfermline into defensive mode from early on. Celtic had claims for a penalty when Brattbakk fell over Andy Tod in the penalty box and soon thereafter in the 27th minute Morten Weighorst had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside.

From the top of the west Wing Stand the decision looked harsh at the time and television does little to concur with the match officials. Weighorst was yellow carded for too much protesting. Three minutes later Dunfermline got their best chance of the half after George Shaw ran out to meet Stewart Petrie’s corner kick which the Dunfermline no.11 lofted over for Andy Tod to head down a fierce effort that brought Gould acrobatically across the goal to remarkably retain a clean sheet.

Right on half time Brattbakk broke free deep into the Dunfermline penalty box but Westwater was out quickly to save with his feet. Hamish French came on for John Fraser at half time. Fraser had played a reasonable first half and Hamish’s arrival made little difference to the midfield.

On 50 minutes Stephane Mahe was allowed to twist and turn inside the Pars penalty box by Ivo Den Bieman and the Frenchman slotted home a shot that only just landed inside Westie’s left hand post.

On 67 minutes Larrson picked up a loose ball although in doing so it did look as though he handled it and then let Jackie McNamara set up Brattbakk for his first goal against Premier opposition.

With Curran on for Den Bieman and Dave Bingham for Shaw Dunfermline attempted to put a better complexion on things and were rewarded when Bingham ran intelligently towards Hamish French’s cross from the right and sidefooted the ball from behind him into the net.

Craig Brown nominated Scott McCulloch Man of the Match. Dunfermline looked much improved after their mid winter hibernation. They fairly woke up in the last fifteen minutes, just a pity they didn’t play like that a bit earlier but they should look forward to the next few league matches with renewed hope.

Crowd trouble in the south east corner of the home terracing boiled over at Celtic’s second goal and after all the police warnings about ejecting people who blatantly enter the wrong section of the ground. Steps should be taken to stop this potentially dangerous situation recurring.

DUNFERMLINE: Westwater, Shields, McCulloch, Tod, Barnett, Fraser (French 45), Shaw (Bingham), Robertson, Smith, Den Bieman (Curran), Petrie.
Scorer: Bingham (81)
Yellow Cards: Smith, Petrie.
Referee Willie Young
Corners Dunfermline 9 Celtic 8
Attendance 12105
Next Match v Dundee United (Home) Saturday 21st February